Android Authority newsletter

The best way to stay connected to the Android pulse. Our main newsletter is the Android Weekly which is sent every Sunday and contains all the top Android news, reviews and features from the past week.

100% Privacy, No Spam Policy: We value privacy and your email address will be 100% secure. We hate spam just like you do and will never send you too much email, nor will we ever share your information with anyone.

Buy now!

Name:

Subject:

Message:

Upcoming game ‘9 Lives: Casey and Sphynx’ takes aim at your living room

Today’s Android gaming scene continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Once simple distractions, many games now offer up top-notch gameplay and rather impressive graphics. As Android gaming advances, many companies seek to move beyond mobile and into the living room. That’s exactly the goal of the upcoming puzzle game, 9 Lives: Casey and Sphynx.

9 Lives: Casey and Sphynx is developed by Hungry Moose Games, a start-up founded by former BioWare Developers. Instead of targeting touch mechanics, 9 Lives will be the first internally produced game by Green Throttle and is aimed at the company’s Atlas gaming controller.

Haven’t heard of Atlas? The Atlas gaming controller, and its accompanying Arena Android app, transform devices like the Kindle Fire HD into a controller-optimized experience on the big screen. Essentially, it is sort of like the OUYA or Gamestick, except it relies on your existing hardware to power it.

As for the game itself, 9 Lives: Casey and Sphynx hopes to further disrupt the traditional console gaming market by creating a free-to-play puzzle experience that pushes mobile graphics, gameplay and social aspects.

[quote qtext=”We think the Hungry Moose team came up with a really fun concept for a game that will nicely take advantage of the Green Throttle experience. Playing local multiplayer on an Android tablet or through the TV will make you connect with Casey and Sphynx in a totally different way. We can’t wait to see this one launch.” qperson=”Charles Huang” qsource=”founder of Green Throttle” qposition=”center”]

The story behind 9 Lives is that you control a security guard and a stray cat as they risk their lives to unravel a puzzle at a local museum. Using a second controller, a friend can help you solve puzzles and further enhance the game experience.

Pushing Android gaming to the living room

Honestly, mobile gaming will probably never overtake traditional gaming. Most hardcore gamers are never going to take any of the Android living room-focused platforms seriously. That doesn’t mean these platforms can’t be profitable and win over a fanbase, though.

Who would have guessed that the Nintendo Wii would have become a best-selling game system? Casual gamers have plenty of buying power and often aren’t interested in more expensive consoles, as they really don’t care about graphics or 100+ hour games. If Android gaming platforms are going to find any true success in the living room, they need to target different types of gamers than those that typically buy Sony or Microsoft consoles.

This could mean targeting the indie gaming scene (as somewhat seen with the OUYA) or simply reaching out to those interested in a local multiplayer experience without paying hundreds of dollars.

What do you think of the idea of Android gaming consoles, a future staple of the gaming world or merely a fade? Is 9 Lives the right approach for Android console gaming or does its free-to-play model turn you off?

Andrew is one of the three Managing Editors of Android Authority, primarily responsible for the overseeing of US team of writers, in addition to several other projects such as VR Source and more. He loves tech, gaming, his family, and good conversations with like-minded folks.